We love our feline friends. We love their expressions and the way they carry themselves. However, similar to humans and other animals, cats can also develop behavioral problems ranging from litter box issues, aggression, fight over territory, urine marking, to scratching and chewing excessively. These behavioral issues in cats occur due to various factors present in their surroundings. What is important in addressing these issues is to find the root cause of such uncommon behavior on part of a feline and try all means to cure her behavioral issues.
Let us go through some common cat behavioral problems and possible measures to tackle the same
Tips to Control Behavioral Issues in your Kitty
Litter Box Problems
Inappropriate elimination is the most common complaint, cat parents have against their cats. In normal circumstances, cats tend to avoid litter box, which are not properly maintained and may eliminate out of the box if it is not cleaned properly. Similarly, if the litter box is not comfortable for use, then also a cat may avoid litter box.
As a cat parent, you must first confirm the reason for her inappropriate litter habit. Visit your vet to know if there is any underlying problem, which is making your cat fall to wrongful elimination such as urinary tract issues. At the same time, make sure to provide her a clean and comfortable litter box.
Aggressive Behavior
The reason for aggressive behavior on part of a cat can be due to illness, feeling of loneliness, territorial dispute, or tussle with fellow cat or dog in the same house or in neighborhood. This aggression can be in the form of biting, scratching, urination, etc. To deal with feline aggression you need to consult your vet to rule any possibility of injury or disease, which is contributing to cat aggression. The vet may inquire about your feline’s surroundings and give you insights to calm your cat’s behavior.
Meowing
A cat meows to communicate with other people. Meowing is the cat’s way of saying things or expressing itself. However, meowing becomes irritable to a cat patent, if it is consistent and at the middle of the night. If your cat is not meowing out of pain, then she definitely wants to say something which you must pay heed to. As a cat parent if you come across such behavior on part of your cat, take note of the following details
- Litter box- See, if everything is fine with her litter box.
- Water- Make sure she has easy access to water through water bowls in her surroundings.
- Other needs- Your cat may also meow out of need for something. So fulfill all her basic requirements.
- Cat environment- Both cat and dog make sounds when they see something strange in their surroundings. So always, take note of your cat’s surroundings
- Flea bite- Flea bites irritate the skin, which may lead to your cat meowing. So, use products such as Frontline Plus to protect your cat from flea infestation and clean her surroundings regularly to make it flea free.
Cat behavior involves many threads, which can only be fully understood by the cat parent himself. However, the pre-requisite for addressing cat behavioral issues is to rule out the possibility of any underlying disease or pain after consulting your vet. At the same time, you must not lose your cool or shout at your cat when dealing with behavioral problems in your cat. Consult a vet behaviorist to make things easy for your cat.
